Physical Activity of Male and Female
University Students as a Manifestation
of Sustainable Development
Daniel Puciato and Michał Rozpara
1 Introduction
The concept of sustainable development, in addition to economic and environmental
components, also encompasses social systems, including state public health policies. The available literature emphasizes the links between sustainable development
policy and public health (Borys 2014). Research results indicate that regular leisuretime physical activity (LPA) should be an important component of disease prevention
policies (Lubowiecki-Vikuk and Podgorski 2016; Mynarski et al. 2013; Puciato et al.
2011). Physical activity can enhance the educational process, have a significant role
in social integration—manifested, for example, in tolerance and respect for others—
and contribute to individual sustainable development (ISD). The aim of individual
sustainable development is to promote a long, healthy, and autonomous life, in conformity with the physical and social environment and economic needs (Mariéthoz and
Bakonyi-Moeschler 2003). The links between sustainable development and physical
activity were addressed by Bestard and Machado (2015), Zhao and Li (2017), and
Zou et al. (2019). An essential manifestation of sustainable development is gender
equality, which includes equal access to leisure-time physical activity (Cela et al.
2014). Meanwhile, the vast majority of studies indicate marked gender differences
in physical activity in favor of men (Drygas et al. 2013; Gerovasili et al. 2015; Seiluri
et al. 2011; Puciato et al. 2013). However, the progressing cultural changes, reflected
D. Puciato (B)
Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska
76, 45-758 Opole, Poland
e-mail: d.puciato@po.edu.pl
M. Rozpara
Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Mikołowska 72,
40-065 Katowice, Poland
e-mail: m.rozpara@awf.katowice.pl
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. (eds.), Handbook of Sustainable Development and Leisure
Services, World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_6
85
University Students as a Manifestation
of Sustainable Development
Daniel Puciato and Michał Rozpara
1 Introduction
The concept of sustainable development, in addition to economic and environmental
components, also encompasses social systems, including state public health policies. The available literature emphasizes the links between sustainable development
policy and public health (Borys 2014). Research results indicate that regular leisuretime physical activity (LPA) should be an important component of disease prevention
policies (Lubowiecki-Vikuk and Podgorski 2016; Mynarski et al. 2013; Puciato et al.
2011). Physical activity can enhance the educational process, have a significant role
in social integration—manifested, for example, in tolerance and respect for others—
and contribute to individual sustainable development (ISD). The aim of individual
sustainable development is to promote a long, healthy, and autonomous life, in conformity with the physical and social environment and economic needs (Mariéthoz and
Bakonyi-Moeschler 2003). The links between sustainable development and physical
activity were addressed by Bestard and Machado (2015), Zhao and Li (2017), and
Zou et al. (2019). An essential manifestation of sustainable development is gender
equality, which includes equal access to leisure-time physical activity (Cela et al.
2014). Meanwhile, the vast majority of studies indicate marked gender differences
in physical activity in favor of men (Drygas et al. 2013; Gerovasili et al. 2015; Seiluri
et al. 2011; Puciato et al. 2013). However, the progressing cultural changes, reflected
D. Puciato (B)
Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska
76, 45-758 Opole, Poland
e-mail: d.puciato@po.edu.pl
M. Rozpara
Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Mikołowska 72,
40-065 Katowice, Poland
e-mail: m.rozpara@awf.katowice.pl
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. (eds.), Handbook of Sustainable Development and Leisure
Services, World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_6
85